Daytona roadcourse race start time, TV channel

Welcome to NASCAR’s first attempt to race the Daytona Highway.

With road races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Watkins Glen unable to run due to the coronavirus pandemic, NASCAR is running this weekend’s Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series races at the Daytona roadcourse. The Xfinity Series runs first on Saturday (3 pm ET, NBCSN), while the Truck Series (Noon ET, FS1) precedes the Cup Series (3 pm ET, NBC) on Sunday.

Here’s what you need to know in advance of those races, especially the Sunday Cup race.

No practice, no qualification

Each of the three races will be run without practice or qualification. This means that the first lap of each race will be the first time that each driver has run a lap all weekend.

Is that a good idea? We’ll find out. NASCAR intends not to hold any practice and qualify ahead of all races for the remainder of the season due to the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic after the 2020 season. Without practice and qualification prior to a race, a team does not need to bring a spare car to the race. And NASCAR’s social distance protocols mean teams bring fewer crew members to the track on a weekly basis.

Taking fewer cars and fewer people after the race saves teams money. But we have the feeling that teams will spend a lot of money after the race. A bunch of drivers trying to race each other on a track layout that they do not have a chance to acquaint themselves with outside simulations and iRacing can result in many accidents.

“Yeah, it’s going to be pretty wild,” Kurt Busch said. “Just a little bit of driving on iRacing and the simulator with Chevrolet, having a mind to drive the car with 80 percent, has provided the stability in the running and in the tire wear and just found a rhythm. That’s the most important thing. You have to find a rhythm and we will do it all when they drop the green flag and because there are 39 other cars around us and who knows? Deaths are in the forecast and we may also throw rain types on our cars by 2020 just to say that we have checked that out of the box. ”

Rein?

Yes, Busch mentioned rain in that quote above. NASCAR has brought rain tires for teams because it uses the layout of the roadway at Daytona.

There are chances for afternoon thunderstorms both Saturday and Sunday. NASCAR race not like lightning is within a 10 mile radius of the track – remember how Justin Haley won in July 2019 in Daytona? – but would be ready to continue the race if there was rain and no lightning near the track.

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A new chicane

The layout of the track is the same as the one used for the Rolex 24 sports car race every January with one exception. NASCAR added a sican to the exit of the definitive oval turn to leave the cars and trucks downhill in the hard left past the start / finish line that begins the roadway.

It remains to be seen exactly how much speed the new chicane will shake off cars as they exit Turn 1 and whether it will create an extra continuous zone itself.

“The speed you carried from the bus stop to the entrance of Turn 1 really drew you to drawing and making movements with the pull and air,” said Kyle Busch. “Well, now that we’ve had the harassment, it’s certainly not going to be the case for anyone familiar with the Daytona Highway and the Rolex 24. There’s one section that’s changed, but it’s going to be the whole change the color of the track, in my opinion. “

No one can double down

Due to the lack of practice and qualification, NASCAR created a rule that prohibits anyone from competing in more than one race on the weekend. Had it not been for, you would have seen a bunch of Cup drivers racing in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series to win some time.

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